Wrapping machine



March '4 1924..

" J. BERK WRAPPING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept 8 1921 March 4 1924. 1,485,586

- J. 'BERK WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sent. 8, 1921 f 5 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR March 4 1.9.241a

. J. BERK WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sent.

INVENTOR 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 4 1924.

J. BERK WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Sent. 8. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Patented Mar. 192d.

UNETEE stares JOSEPH BERK, 015 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

WRAPPING ll/IACHINE.

Application filed September 8, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr BERK, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State of California, have made new and useful Improvements in Wrapping Machines, the preferred form illustrated, described, and claimed as follows:

The present invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines, generally and is particularlydesigned to serve as a machine for the wrapping of bricks. The particular object of the invention'is to provide a combination of working units cooperating with each other and adapted to carry the individual bricks in rapid succession through the wrapping process, the opera tions including the picking up of the bricks one after the other, carrying the same to a wrapping unit, the. gripping of the brick-by the wrapping unit and the wrapping of the same and finally the delivery of the bricks to a horizontal conveyor in such a manner that the wrapper is not disturbed during the operation. While my machine is particularly designed for the handling of bricks, it is of course understood that it may be put to numerous difierent uses, and the fact that in the following description I refer to the same as a brick wrapping'machine is not to be construed as a limitation of the machine to that particular use.

The machine is rather complicated and in volves a large number of details, some of which may be easily changed and modified without affecting the spirit of the invention and if, for the sake of convenience, this spec ification confines itself to a detailed description of the preferred form illustrated in the drawing I wish to have it understood that the details described are intended to cover modifications which would not essentially alter the general ideas expressed in the ma chine.

In the drawings Fig. 1, is a side view of my machine, Fig. 2 a top plan view, Fig. 3 a longitudinal section through the same along line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. a an enlargement of the view shown in Fig. 3, end portions being broken away and certain por tions covering the details of construction being removed, Fig. 5 an enlarged detail view such as would be seen from line 5-5 on Fig. 4, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section along line 66 of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 a longitudinal section along line 7-7 of Fig. 5, Fig. 8 a per- Serial No. 499,307.

spective view of wrapped brick as it appears when it leaves the machine and Fig. 9- a View similar to that of Fig. 7 with a bracket shown in front of said figure removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that my machine is mounted on a rigid frame 1 comprising two longitudinal members 2, two transverse members 3, and the legs 4. Two further longitudinal members 6 disposed underneath the members 2, serve to brace the frame as well as to support certain bearings hereinafter referred to. The principal transverse shaft 7 rotates in the bearings 8 supported centrally on the longitudinal frame members 2 and receives rotary motion from any suitable source of power through the pulley 9. This shaft carries the main working mechanism which is supported between two disks 11 rigidly secured to the shaft so as to revolve with the same and which will be hereinafter briefly referred to as the wrapping mechanism. Mounted on the same longitudinal members 2 and driven from the shaft 7 by meansof two meshing gear wheels 12 and 14 is the shaft 16, in bearings 17. This shaft carries the charging device, that is, the device that carries the bricks one by one into operative proximity with the wrapping mechanism. A third shaft 18 surmounts the two shafts and rests in bearings 19 supported over the longitudinal members by means of standards 21' and carries the cutting device. It is also driven from the main shaft by means of two gear wheels 22 and 23.

These three working units, the wrapping, charging and cutting devices, form the principal portions of my invention and will be described in detail hereinafter. As auxiliary portions I will mention the feeding and the brick receiving devices. The former device is designed tofeed the bricks to the oharg'er and the latter to receive the bricks after they are wrapped and to convey them in close succession to a horizontal conveyor from which they are manually removed.

The feeding device comprises two parallel chains 24, each passing over two sprocket wheels 26 and 27. The latter are supported on the shaft 28 rotating in bearings 29, while the former (26) are keyed to the shaft 31 resting in bearings 32 supported on the lower longitudinal frame members 6. The shaft 31 is rotated from the shaft 16 through the gear wheels 1% and 33, so that, when the shaft power is applied to the drive pulley 9, the sprockets 26 and 27 rotate and cause the chains 24 to move with the same. The two chains are disposed parallel to each other at such distance that they can con veniently carry a brick 30 placed transversely across the same. The chains are provided with a plurality of registering dogs 36, which hold the brick and carry it forward into the proximity of the charging device secured on the shaft 16.

This device comprises a hub portion 37 from which four pairs of arms 38 extend, each pair being provided with two fingers 39 extending in spaced relation and radially from the same. The feeding and charging devices are timed so that each time the former carries a brick into operative proximity of the latter, the fingers 39 grip the brick and push it on the two rails 41 and along the same toward the wrapping device. These rails are rigidly supported on the transverse angle iron 42 resting in the frame and are slightly eccentric relative to the shaft 16 so that at their upper ends they slightly approach the shaft. While thus in the beginning the brick is loosely gripped between the rails and the arms 38, this grip tightens as the brick advances and becomes finally so tight that the brick pushes the heads of the rods 43, slidingly secured along the side of each arm so as to normally project beyond the same, inwardly over the resistance of the springs 44. In this position the brick is brought into contact with the wrapping device, which, it will be remembered, revolves simultaneously with the charging device.

The wrapping device comprises four identical units symmetrically distributed and ported between the disks 11. The units are distributed so that each works in conjunction with one pair of the arms 38 of the charging device and their cooperation begins when both meet on or near the line connecting the two shaft centers. The four wrapping units present complete working units, each wrapping one brick, so that during one revolution of the disks four bricks are wrapped. Each unit comprises two distinct working parts, which I shall refer to as the holder and the wrapper. the object of the former being to hold the brick while the latter wraps it. The complete unit is shown in side view in the upper portion of Fig. 4 and in end view in Fig. 5, but it must be remembered that in Fig. 4 four of these units are distributed between the disks in symmetrical relation, the lower one being covered by the near disk, and the two disposed on the horizontal cen ter line being mutilated to more clearly disclose the holding feature.

The latter comprises a transverse bar 51 extending from one disk to the other and secured to the disks by the flanges 52. near the rim of the disks. From the bar extend outwardly in radial direction and in spaced relation two forked projections 53 adapted to pivotally support two radially extending claws 54 running substantially parallel to each other and properly spaced so as to be adapted to span the length of the brick. The claws are normally pressed toward each other so as to close in on and firmly grip the brick by means of the springs 56, but are forced apart at predetermined times by the rollers 57 engaging diverging guides 58 and 59 placed concentrically around the disks and rigidly supported in the frame. The guides 58 are supported on the cross-member 42 before mentioned and serve to separate the jaws for the initial-engagement, while the guides 59, supported on the frame as shown at 61 (Fig. 1) serve to force the jaws apart for the final release of the brick. In this manner the gripping operation constitutes itself as follows: The brick is carried upward on the guides 41 by the arm 38 while a corresponding wrapping unit approaches simultaneously to meet the arm on or near the center line between the two shafts 7 and 16. While thus approaching the claws are forced apart by the diverging guides 58. As

the center line is reached the claws reach the rails 41 and is now pressed outwardly by the spring into firm engagement with the platen 61 supported on the transverse bar 51. The outer surface of this platen is not exactly tangential relative to the axis of the shaft 7, but slightly diverges from the tangential line, so that the brick assumes the position indicated in Fig. 6 instead of a strictly tangential position, which facilitates the release hereinafter referred to. It will also be seen that underneath the platen (as seen in its brick engaging position) a plate 63 is secured projecting slightly outside the platen so as to provide an additional support for the brick during its travel.

The brick is now firmly held between the claws by the wrapping unit and is carried around with the disks.

It will be seen from the drawing, that dur ing this brick engaging operation a strip of wrapping paper 64 has been inserted between the brick and the platen. This strip emanates from a roll of paper 66 carried on a shaft 67 supported in bearings 68 restingon the lower longitudinal frame members 6, is somewhat wider than the length of the brick, as shown in Fig. 8 and is guided by messes the idler 69. For the first operation its end may be assumed to have been manually suported over the place where the brick is to 10in the platen so that it is clamped between the platen and the brick, when it will be pulled along and for all succeeding operations find its proper place automatically. When the wrapping unit reaches its topmost position, the paper is cut rearwardly of the unit, about midway between the two operative positions, by the cutting device supported on the shaft 18, in a manner described hereinafter, so that in the topmost position a strip of the wrapping paper of suitable length is clamped between the platen and the brick, as shown in Fig. 4, in dotted lines, the two ends of the paper hanging down in any position they may naturally assume.

Now the wrapping operation begins which necessitates two distinct link mechanisms, both actuated by one lever arm 71 rigidly supported on a shaft 72 rotatably secured in the brackets 73 fastened to the disks. This lever arm extends radially and carries in its forked outer end a roller 74, which is frictionally engaged by a cam 76 supported over the path of the roller in a bracket 77 rigidly secured on the main frame. This cam, in engaging the roller, retards its progress, since it is too close to allow the arm 71 to pass in its radial position. Thus the latter arm is pivoted backward while the wrapping unit advances and thereby rocks two other arms 78 and 79 rigidly secured to the same shaft 72, in bell crank lever fashion. The link mechanisms set in motion by the rocking of these two arms are shown in detail in Figures 5, 6 and 7, from which figures it will be seen that the arm 7 8 (see Fig. 7) transmits its rocking motion through the curved link 82 to the arm 83. The latter is supported on the shaft 81 which carries another arm 84 in spaced relation and parallel to the arm 83, and between the two arms a plurality of leaf springs 86 are supported. The arms 83 and 84 are rocked from a downwardly slanting position into a substantially horizontal position, and during this motion the springs 86'come in contact with the foward end of p the paper, lift the same toward the brick and engage the lower forward edge of the latter so as to press the paper firmly against the brick and around the lower edge whereby the paper is caused to assume a nearly upright position relative to the forward side of the brick, as indicated in dotted lines.

Simultaneously the arm 79 sets in motion a chain of links to wrap the rear end of the paper over the rear side of the brick in the following manner. It has been seen that, by retarding the arm 71, the arm 79 is thrown forward, which motion is transmitted, through the link 91, to the link 92.

The course of the latter link is further influenced by the fact that its central portion is pivotally supported on a pin 93 resting in the outer end of a link 94 pivotally supported in a lug 96 supported on the main transverse bar 51. In this manner an upward motion is imparted to the far end of the link 92, during which the same follows the curved path indicated by the line 97 in Fig. 7. This motion is imparted, through a screw and sleeve arrangement 98 (Fig. 5) to the arm 99, one end of which is fixed to the shaft 101 supported in the lugs 96 in such a manner that its axis coincides with the center of the circle of which curve 97 is a part. The shaft 101 carries, in spaced relation, another arm 102, parallel to arm 99 and coacting with the same, and both the arms 99 and 102 have pins 103 penetrating their free ends on which the yoke 104 is pivotally supported. The latter is slightly curved in side elevation, as shown in Fig. 6, and is held in an upright position by the two guides 106 and 107 which receive between them the roller 108 revolving on the pin 109 extending sideways from the body of the yoke 104. The motion of the latter is defined by the curve 97, through which its supporting axis 10?) travels and the guides 106 and 107. The shaft 101 carries a spring 111 which in the position shown in Fig. 5 does not do any work, but which engages the yoke 104 when the same moves upward and presses the same firmly against the guide 106 and forces the yoke to follow the peculiar curve in the upper end of guide 106 by which a sudden forward thrust is imparted to the yoke which is transmitted to the roller 112 actuated by the yoke and forces the same over and around the upper rear edge of the bridge. The roller 112 is rotatably supported between two arms 114, the lower ends of which are supported on pins 116 resting in bearings 117 adjustably fastened to the yoke 104 by the screws 118, a cam arrangement 119 limiting its motion away from the yoke, while a spring 121 keeps it under tension. Vhen the arm 71 passes the cam 76 it is ulled forward into its normal position by the spring 122 secured at one end to the lug 123 forming an extension of the arm 71 and at the other end on one of the disks 11.

It will thus be seen that during this operation the wrapper simultaneously folds the paper around the lower forward edge of the brick and around the upper rear edge of the same so that at the end of the operation the paper lies in the position indicated in dotted lines, the rear end of the paper having been pressed flat on the top of thebrick by the peculiar roller action, while the front end of the paper stands up in front of the brick, firmly held against its lower edge by the springs 86. In this position it reaches the belt 126 which passes over the two drums 127 and 128. The drum 127 rotates on the shaft 129 supported in the main frame in a manner not shown in the drawing and receives rotary motion from the shaft 131 through the twisted belt 132, the shaft 131 being driven from the main shaft 7 by means of the gear wheel 133 on the shaft 13 1 supported in the frame. The drum 128 is supported on the shaft 136 in operative proximity to the wrapper so that the belt firmly presses down on the passing brick and folds the front end of the paper over the top of the brick, the paper being cut long enough that the front end covers the rear end of the same. Proper tension is given to the drum 128 by its supporting device which comprises a long arm 137 pivotally supported on the tranverse shaft 138 resting in the standards 139 and ending in a fork 14-1 in which the shaft 136 carrying the drum is supported. The forked end is held in spaced relation to the wrapper by the screw 1 1-2 carried in the lug 1 13 of the rigidly supported transverse bar 144, so that its distance from the wrapper can be adjusted, and it is forced against the brick by the spring 1 16 supported in another lug 1 17 of the same bar 144- and engaging an extension 1 18 of the arm 137.

As soon as the brick is engaged by the roller 128 or the belt passing over it, the arm 71 trips the cam 76 and is pulled forward by the spring 122 so that all the parts of the wrapping mechanism return automatically to their original position and the brick is now held by the claws 5-1 between the platen 61' and the belt which latter is pressed downward by the idler roller 151 pivotally supported on the shaft 152 carried in the links 153 depending from the arm 137.

As the wrapping unit continues its travel the claws are forced apart by the diverging guides 59 in a manner hereinbefore described, whereby the brick is released from the grip of the claws and slides down the inclined plane 154 formed by two rails 156 supported in spaced relation on the transverse member 157 resting in the frame. These rails deliver the brick, the top of which remains in contact with the belt, to the endless chains 158 passing over two sprockets 159 and 161 so that its top portion occupies substantially the same inclined plane as the rail 156. The chains are provided with a plurality of registering dogs 162, each pair of which is adapted to arrest the brick sliding down the rails and to cause it to travel with the chains until the horizontal conveyor 163 is reached which again arrests the motion of the brick. The latter conveyor comprises a belt receiving motion from the shaft 131, the far end not being shown in the drawing, and is timed i iswee tween the chains 158 and the last brick to receive a new brick, so that the bricks are disposed onthe conveyer in close relation whereby the paper is held in its place. From the conveyor the bricks are manually removed.

It remains to describe the paper cutting mechanism, previously referred to, mounted on the shaft 18. This mechanism is designed to cut the paper into convenient lengths and it works in conjunction with four knife blades 166 transversely mounted between the disks so that its cutting edges are substantially flush with the peripheries of the disks. One knife blade is supported substantially midway between each two wrapping units and has at one end, say the near end in Fig. 4, a horn 167 associated therewith, curved forwardly, as shown'in the drawing. The cutting mechanism mounted on the shaft 18 is so arranged that it brings a second blade 168 into operative contact with each blade 166 as the latter passes through the position shown in Fig. 4:, whereby a scissor action is produced between the two blades in the following manner. The cutting mechanism comprises two disks 169 mounted in parallel relation on the shaft 18 and carrying four pairs of registering arms 171 extending radially, between each two of which one of the blades 168 is supported. The arms are pivotally supported on pins 172 projecting from the disk and held in substantially radial position by the springs 173, the tension of which is adjusted by means of nuts 17 1. The two arms forming a pair are not exactly parallel but are set in such a manner, by properly adjusting the tension of the springs 173, that the blade carrying portion of the arm on the near side is slightly advanced before that of the other arm, so that the blade slightly diverges from the axial plane, having a leading end and a trailing end. Neither are the arms of the same length, the arm supporting the leading end of the blade being slightly longer than that carrying the trailing end so that the blade slightly slants toward the axis of the shaft 18,d looking from the leading to the trailing en In operation, confining our observations to one set of blades, the latter approach each other, actuated by the rotating shafts 7 and 18, engage each other near the plane of the two shafts and separate when the plane is passed. During their engagement theleading end of knife 168 first strikes the horn 167 and is retarded by the same and guided into active engagement with the corresponding end of the blade 166. The trailing edge of the knife 168 in the meantime keeps advancing into a position where it slightly overlaps the knife 166, like in a pair of scissors the extreme ends of the blades slightly overlap while the rear ends near the pivot are in active engagement. As the engagement proceeds, the trailing edge is gradually forced into cutting engagement with the knife 166, thereby insuring a per fect scissor-like cut.

The whole operation of my device may be described then as follows: Each brick is individually placed on the chains 24 in front of the dogs 36 and carried on chains until engaged by the fingers 39 of the charging device which slides it upward on the rails 11. The brick is first loosely engaged, so as to avoid pressure on the brick as much as possible, but becomes firmly engaged at the end of its travel on the rails so as to set the springs M on the arms 38, which finally force the brick into close contact with the platen 61. Simultaneously the claws 54 are separated by sliding along the diverging guides 58 so as to span the brick and firmly engage the same after leaving the guides 58.

Now the brick is firmly held between the platen and the claws, the paper being interposed between the brick and the platen and the plate 63 giving additional support to the brick. When on its further travel the brick reaches its topmost position, the cutting device cuts the paper and the arm 71, through its roller 74, begins to engage the cam 76 whereby the wrapping mechanism is set in operation, actuating the springs 86 to push the forward end of the paper over the lower front edge of the brick, while the roller 112 engages the rear end of the paper, slides upward along the rear end of the brick under tension and forces the paper over the top edge by a quick forward thrust. The brick is then engaged by the belt 126, while simultaneously the hold of the wrapping mechanism is released by the tripping of the arm 71. The belt 126 completes the wrapping operation by pressing the front end of the paper over the top of the brick and remains in firm engagement with the top during the rest of the travel of the brick. After becoming engaged by the belt the brick is released from the hold of the claws by the diverging guides 59 which separate the claws, and the brick now drops along the inclined plane 154 on the chains 158, its fall being arrested and its motion retarded by the dog 162. Finally the brick is landed on the horizontal conveyor 163, which is timed so as to arrange the bricks in close relation to each other so that the wrappers are held around the bricks. From this conveyor the bricks are manually removed. After being wrapped, the brick presents the appearance illustrated in Fig.8, the ends of the wrapper extending beyond the ends of the bricks. The latter ends are not folded this not being considered necessary in the particular trade, since the edge will naturally fold while loading the bricks and present a protective layer between the ends of adjoining bricks.

I wish to call particular attention to the fact that numerous changes may be made without affecting the spirit of the invention and that I wish to secure protection on the general ideas expressed in the machine rather than on the details of construction.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a device for wrapping an article comprising a platen, means for holding the article against the platen and wrapping material between the article and the platen, means for forcing one end of the material against one end of the article, means for forcing the other end of the material against the other end of the article and over the same and common control means for actuating both means.

2. In a device of the character described, a device for wrapping an article revolving on an axis outside the same and comprising a substantially tangentially mounted platen, means for holding the article against the platen and wrapping material between the article and the platen, means for forcing one end of the material against one end of the article, means for forcing the other end of the material against the other end of the article and over the same, and common control means for actuating both means, said control means including a radially extending pivoted arm and stationary means for retarding the progress of said arm.

3. In a device of the character described, a device for wrapping a plurality of articles individually comprising a plurality of wrapping units symmetrically mounted so as to revolve around a common center, each comprising a substantially tangentially mounted platen, means for holding one arti cle against the platen and wrapping material between the article and the platen, means for forcing one end of the material against one end of the article, means for forcing the other end of the material against the other end of the article and over the same and common control means for actuating both means, said control means including a radially extending pivoted arm for each unit and stationary means for engaging said arms successively and retarding their progress.

4. In a machine of the character described, a device for wrapping an article revolvin on an axis outside the same and comprising a substantially tangentially mounted platen, means for holding the article against the platen and wrapping material between the article and the platen, means for forcing one end of the material against one end of the article so as to project above the same, means for forcing the other end of the materiel against the other end of the article and over the same and common control means for actuating both means, in combination with means mounted in operative relation to the device for forcing the projecting end of the wrapping material over the top of the article.

In a device of the character described, means for holding an article to be wrapped with a strip of wrapping paper interposed between said means and the bottom face of the article and means for folding the paper over the rear and top faces of the article comprising a roller and means for guiding the same over the rear face of the article having means associated therewith for imparting a sudden forward thrust to the roller when the latter passes the upper rear edge.

6. In a device of the character described, means for holding an article to be wrapped with a strip of wrapping paper interposed between said means and the bottom face of the article and means for folding the paper over the top and rear faces of the article comprising a roller, link members supporting the same in operative proximity of the rear face of the article, a yoke supporting the link members having means associated therewith for yieldingly forcing the roller in contact with the article, guide members associated with the yoke formed to cause the yoke to travel substantially parallel to the rear face when the yokeis raised and toallow the same to be thrust forward when the roller passes the top rear edge and spring means for effecting said forward thrust.

7. In a device of the character described, means for imparting an upward thrust to a yoke or the like comprising substantially vertical guides associated with the top members of the yoke, pivotally supported hanger bearings pivotally engaging the arms of the yoke and means for imparting rotary motion to said hanger bearings.

8. In a device of the character described, means for imparting an upward thrust to a yoke or the like comprising substantially vertical guides associated with the top members of the yoke, pivotally supported hanger bearings pivotally engaging the arms of the yoke and means for imparting rotary motion to said hanger bearings comprising a pivotally supported shaft having two arms extending therefrom, a chain of links connecting one of said arms with the hanger hearing, means for swinging the other arm about its pivot and a pivotally mounted spacing link engaging the last link in the chain messes causing the extreme end of the latter to swing in a circle correspondingly to the circle on which the hanger bearing moves,

9. In combination, a revolving platen hav ing means for gripping an article associated therewith and a charging device comprising a conveyor for the article, arcuate guideways communicating with the conveyor terminating in operative proximity of the platen and a revolving arm having a finger extending therefrom adapted to push the article along the guideways into contact with the platen.

10. In combination, a revolving platen having means for gripping an article associated therewith and a charging device comprising a conveyor for the article, arcuate guide-Ways communicating with the conveyor terminating in operative proximity of the platen and a revolving arm having a finger extending therefrom adapted to push the article along the guideways into contact with the platen, the accurate guide ways be ing slightly eccentric relative to the axis of the revolving arm for effecting a closer engagement at the end of the charging operation.

11. In combination, a revolving platen having a projection thereon and means associated therewith for gripping an article and a charging device comprising a conveyor for the article, arcuate guideways, for the article communicating with the conveyor terminating in operative proximity to the platen substantially flush with the projection, a revolving arm having a finger extending therefrom adapted to push the article along the guideways into a position opposite the platen and spring means associated with the arm allowing the article to pass the projection and adaptedto push it into contact with the recessed portion of the platen after the projection is passed.

12. In combination, a revolving platen having a projection thereon and means associated therewith for gripping an article and a charging device comprising a conveyor for the article arcuate guideways for the article communicating with the conveyor terminating in operative proximity to the platen substantially flush with the projection, a revolving arm having a finger extending therefrom adapted to push the article along the guideways into a position opposite the platen and spring means associated with the arm allowing the article to pass the projection and adapted to push it into contact with the recessed portion of the platen after the projection is passed,the arcuate guideways being slightly eccentric relative to the axis of the revolving arm for efi'ecting a closer engagement at the end of the charging operation.

13. In combination, a revolving platen having oppositely arranged claws associated herewith for gripping an article spring means tending to cause the claws to close on the article, arcuate guicleways forcing the claws apart while approaching the charging position, and a charging device comprising a conveyor for the article, accurate guideways communicating with the conveyor terminating in operative proximity to the platen and a revolving arm having a finger extending therefrom adapted to push the 1 article along the guideways into contact with the platen, the guicleways for the claws being dimensioned to allow the claws to trip when the article is in an operative position.

JOSEPH BERK, 

